Implementing the National Schools Programme Review
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The 2024 National Schools Programme (NSP) Review set out 15 recommendations to support the future development of the programme and address issues identified through the review. The implementation of these recommendations will be overseen by a Strategic Advisory Group, consisting of experts drawn from across the sector, with consideration for coverage across the four NSP regions and a balance of stakeholder perspectives.
Strategic Advisory Group
A NSP Strategic Advisory Group of SFC and external members was established in spring 2025 to bring together relevant skills, knowledge, and understanding of the barriers to higher education and the widening access ecosystem in Scotland and to offer constructive challenge and insight into the implementation of the NSP Review recommendations.
As detailed in the Strategic Advisory Group’s established remit:
- The NSP Strategic Advisory Group will provide advice and guidance to SFC on the remit and prioritisation of the collaborative taskforce(s) which will address specific recommendations from the review.
- The NSP Strategic Advisory Group will receive and review progress reports and proposals from the collaborative taskforce(s), providing comment, feedback and where applicable, endorsement/approval for onward progress.
- The NSP Strategic Advisory Group will support engagement with the tertiary and school sectors and a wide range of stakeholders building on the work of the NSP review Steering Committee.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to co-chair the National Schools Programme Strategic Advisory Group and, importantly, to provide some continuity as we move forward with implementing the recommendations from the recently completed National Schools Programme Review.
“These recommendations were based on the feedback and findings from an extensive and well-structured consultation which was inclusive and far reaching and which we believe will further improve access to Higher Education for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Mhairi Harrington, co-chair of the Strategic Advisory Group
Collaborative Taskforces
The Strategic Advisory Group is currently taking forward the creation of short-life collaborative taskforces, an action which is in response to recommendation 6 of the National Schools Programme Review.
These taskforces will benefit from the input of NSP practitioners and other on-the-ground stakeholders and will report to the Strategic Advisory Group on targeted recommendations.
You will find information about this work in the updates provided below. We’re currently recruiting for our Eligibility, Targeting and Selection Taskforce.
Implementation updates
Eligibility, Targeting and Selection Taskforce recruitment
Between now and Wednesday 11 March 2026, we are inviting expressions of interest to participate in the above taskforce.
This is an opportunity to contribute to the design of a consistent national approach to eligibility, pupil targeting and selection for the National Schools Programme. The taskforce will also help to develop practical, user-friendly guidance to explain how eligibility should be promoted, understood and applied.
The taskforce will meet approximately once a month for around a year and will report to the NSP Strategic Advisory Group. More information can be found in our Terms of Reference document.
If you would like to contribute to this important work, you are invited to submit an expression of interest by 5pm, Wednesday 11 March 2026. Please refer to our Privacy Notice for information on how we will use the data you supply.
If, before submitting an expression of interest, you would like to discuss your potential membership of the taskforce in more detail, Erica Russell-Hensens, our Deputy Director of Student Interests, Access & Quality, would be pleased to speak to you. Erica can be contacted by email at erussellhensens@sfc.ac.uk.
Evaluation Framework Taskforce Recruitment
We have completed recruiting for external members of the Evaluation and Monitoring Framework Taskforce. You can find out more in our members list.
Membership of the Strategic Advisory Group
The membership of the Strategic Advisory Group was announced in spring 2025. The Group’s role is to oversee and monitor the implementation of the fifteen NSP Review recommendations.
You can find out more, including statements from the Group’s two co-chairs and the full membership list in our official announcement.
SFC Strategic Plan 2022-27
Building a connected, agile, sustainable tertiary education and research system for Scotland.